


Take a chance on us

by itzteegan



Series: Displaced Soulmates [1]
Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Bucky Barnes, Bonding, Dimension Travel, Displaced Soulmates, Group Sex, Masturbation, Multi, Omega Verse, Polyamory, Porn, Porn With Plot, Reluctant Soulmates, Scenting, Sex, Shameless Smut, Smut, Soulmates, Threesome, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-02-15 17:37:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18674344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itzteegan/pseuds/itzteegan
Summary: Despite the discrimination against Omegas, Michelle does her best to forge her own life in her own way. But after she's yanked from one world to another, she has to readjust to the world, and one thing that definitely does not seem to help is bonding to an Alpha and Beta pair ...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Now that I've finished one story, time to start posting the next! I actually have four total chapters written so far, and I'm on chapter five. I'll be editing/posting the already written chapters pretty soon. I don't anticipate this being a really long story like some of my other ones, but I hope y'all enjoy regardless. :)

“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath. This was the fourth pharmacy I’d visited, and none of my normal scent-blocking products were to be found. It was bad enough that somehow my entire life shifted into this strange new world – or, really, not _so_ strange … superheroes roaming around was pretty similar no matter how you cut it – but apparently, here they didn’t believe in scent-blocking products. No pills, no body wash, no shampoo, no lotion, _nothing_. I’d used up the body wash a few days ago, I was on the last legs of my shampoo, and I’d just completely emptied my lotion bottle this morning. The pills were long gone. I barely went out as it was – working data entry from home had its perks, and how my job transferred over I wasn’t about to ask too many questions about – so I’d been able to conserve a lot more than I normally did anyway. But I’d budgeted my products about as much as I could, and if I couldn’t find anything, then, well … I’d have to go without.

 

And that was a prospect that scared me shitless.

 

The only reason I was even able to hold a job is because it was a remote position. Had my employers known I was an Omega, I would likely be fired due to non-disclosure. Yeah, that was the thing. Lots of people didn’t like to hire Omegas aside from menial jobs that barely paid enough to live off of, but if you didn’t disclose it at hiring and it was found out? Then you got into trouble and usually lost your job. Omegas were expected to depend on their Alphas, and if you didn’t have one then you were considered worthless. And even when you did, you were only treated marginally better. Couldn’t hold property, jobs were still limited, any legal or medical decision you made had to be approved by your Alpha … after years of independence, my attitude on Alpha/Omega bonds were pretty clear. _Fuck that shit_.

 

The longer I lingered in the store, the more nervous I became. Clearly they did not have what I needed. Apparently no other store did. I’d been keeping an eye out since I got here, to no avail. I’d even gotten up the courage to ask a couple of associates and they’d just looked at me like I sprouted a third head. Surely scent blockers had to exist _somewhere_ … right?

 

I sighed as I decided to scour the internet again once I got home, making my way back to the front of the store in disappointment and resignation. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do. Once my scent started coming through strong – it’d had moments of breakthrough, but wasn’t as potent as I knew it could be – then my problems would really start. My neighbours would complain about the smell, the landlord would start eviction proceedings, without a reliable place to work I’d lose my job … shaking my head, I willed myself to let go of the negative, cyclical thinking. There had to be scent blockers _somewhere_ in this damn world. I’d worked too damn hard, come too far to just lose it all now. I’d had problems before and I’d overcome them. I would do the same now just as I did then.

 

As I walked briskly toward the exit, I was a bit too hasty to really watch where I was going and ended up running to someone as I left the aisle. Between the forward momentum I’d had and how damn _solid_ the person was, I couldn’t help but stumble to the floor, landing rather unceremoniously on my ass. _Ow_ …

 

Before I even had a chance to pick myself up, a hand was offered as a voice said, “I’m sorry, ma’am, are you alright?”

 

I chuckled as I took the offered hand and allowed him to pull me up, and it was as I looked up – way up, considering the height difference between us – I froze before I could even get out the snarky reply I’d readied. The scent that washed over me, engulfed me, it was unmistakable. He was an Alpha. And not just any Alpha … I already felt a bond starting to seal and I yanked my hand out of his, panic flooding me. _No! How could this be happening?_ His blue eyes looked at me questioningly as he stood there, and he went to open his mouth to say something but I didn’t stay to hear what it was, immediately turning tail and running out of the store.

 

My heart pounded in my throat as I ran down the street, doing my damnedest to dodge and weave through the foot traffic as I made my way to the subway. I hadn’t bothered with taking out my car for this, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not as I leapt down the stairs two at a time and rushed through the subway entrance, pass in hand. I wasn’t even completely sure what train I got on initially, I just saw one about to leave and jumped on, hoping they weren’t behind me. Fear had me not even glancing behind me once in my wild run to the station, but as I stood on the train, I chanced a look and saw the tall blond running toward me, a brunette man with shaggy hair at his side. And they were gaining on me pretty hard.

 

Backing up on the train, I couldn’t take my eyes off of them as they approached, not even out of breath by the looks of it. It was apparent from their speed and their agility that they were going to make the train that I was on. At least, just barely.

 

They jumped on just as the doors started to close, and as they did, I slipped out of a back door. They lunged at the door, but it was too late, it was closed tight and they were trapped. We all stared holes through each other as the train started moving, my mind blank, panic trying to completely overtake me.

 

As soon as they’d left, I realised that the next train, due in just a few minutes, was the one I actually needed to get on, going the opposite way as the one that had just left. And since I’d exited the first train, I was right on the platform I needed to be on. If I’d been religious, I’d been thanking whatever god I ascribed to that the two men had been able to catch the train I was on, because if they hadn’t I would have had to get off and get back on another one just to get back home, spending more time on the outside and more time worrying that they would suddenly pop up around any corner. It was bad enough that, due to the extreme change in mood, my scent blockers were almost completely gone, and the smell of blueberriesand lavender wafted through the subway as I impatiently tapped my foot. People all around me gave me pointed looks, either surreptitiously sniffing the air to confirm their suspicion or just taking in great lungfuls around me without even trying to be subtle. I wrapped my arms tightly around me, feeling exposed and vulnerable on the platform, and I was one of the first on the train as soon as it arrived, taking a seat and keeping my eyes on the floor.

 

It was only about five stops before I had to get off, but it felt like the longest ride I’d ever taken. I nervously fiddled with my fingers as I tried to make myself as small and inconspicuous as possible. If my scent blockers hadn’t been caput, nobody would have really noticed me. But as it was, I felt everyone’s eyes on me, and I fidgeted constantly until the doors finally opened at my stop and I slipped out as quickly as I could.

 

Once I was street side, I whipped around, looking to see if somehow they were there waiting for me like my fears told me. But they weren’t. Of course they weren’t, how could they be? Even if they had gotten off on the next stop, we had gone in completely opposite directions, and I was way ahead of them. I was still paranoid as fuck as I walked the few blocks over to my apartment building, my nerves about shot from anxiety. It was a miracle I was able to fish my keys out of my jacket pocket, much less actually use them to open the door to the building with the way my hands were shaking. Once inside the secure building, I started to feel a little better, but it wasn’t until I finally shut myself away in my own studio that I paused and broke down.

 

Shuffling off my shoes, I threw my coat over my work chair as I collapsed on my bed, pulling my pillow to my face and sobbing. This was so much worse than running out of scent blockers, this … this was the end of my life as it was. I’d be forced to give up my apartment, my car, my job, everything. Some Alphas even made their Omegas throw out everything they had and start over completely fresh when moving in. I was no longer going to be that strong, independent woman anymore that I loved to be. Instead, I was losing my identity completely. How long would it be until I’d go into heat? I’d momentarily lost count of the days and I couldn’t be bothered to look up at a calendar at the moment. Would he forcefully breed me? Get me pregnant with pup after pup until my body said no more? I had an IUD in because it helped with my periods, but I’d be forced to remove it. No bonded Omega was allowed any form of birth control without their Alpha’s consent. Every little part of me was about to be ripped out and replaced with … well, whatever this Alpha’s idea of what I should be. I felt like I was losing everything. First I’d been pushed into this world, cut off and separated from everything I knew and understood. And now this … how could this get much worse? I almost dreaded to think.

 

As the tears finally slowed, I sat up, chin up, determined. I wasn’t going to let this change me, I _couldn_ _’_ _t_ let this change me. Not after how far I’d come. I wouldn’t let it all be in vain. I wasn’t sure how, but I was going to fight this destiny that had been handed to me. I knew that, should I go out, I would risk running into them again, even in a large city like New York. With the bond we had, they would be drawn to me. So, obviously, the solution was that I never went out again. It was a drastic response, but I supposed this was a drastic situation, and so appropriate measures had to be taken. There was always take out and grocery delivery, and pretty much anything I could ever want or need could be fulfilled via the Internet. The building I lived in was secure, there was no getting in without a key unless they were buzzed in, but even so they had no idea where I lived. The bond that had formed would only get them so far, and with the apartment buildings and condos all in the vicinity, narrowing it down to mine would be damn near impossible. And perhaps, with enough time, they would simply give up and abandon their attempt to catch up to me. I could be free, still. I only had to wait it out. _Yes, I can do this_.

 

Rising from my bed, refusing to allow any more tears to fall, I quickly took stock of my pantry and refrigerator, seeing if there was anything I was going to need soon. Might as well put in the Amazon order as soon as possible. There were only a few things I would likely need in the coming days, and so I went ahead and added them to my cart and ordered it, ready to go ahead and embrace the hermit life. I’d never gone out much to begin with, so this wasn’t that difficult of a thing to transition into.

 

Once my orders were in, I sat back down on my bed, looking around at the four walls of my apartment, now my prison. The irony of me maintaining my independence by imprisoning myself did not escape me, but I didn’t see any other solution present. Perhaps I could save up some money, research another town, move out in the middle of the night. The further away I was, the weaker the link would get, and then maybe the easier I could breathe. Finances would be a little tighter than normal, at least for a little bit, but I could manage. I could manage just about anything if it meant I kept my freedom. Even if it meant sleeping in my car and mooching wifi off of coffee shops to work. Far, far from ideal, but doable. I couldn’t let this hiccup stop me now.

 

The next couple of days went by smoothly, despite the tremour of nervousness that wanted to seep through. Since nothing had happened, I should have taken it as a good sign, however my brain wanted to interpret that as waiting for the other shoe to drop. Nevertheless, there was not much I could do but maintain a schedule of sorts so I didn’t go nuts. Aside from my working hours, I put some effort into doing at least a small yoga workout and meditation, just to give me something else to focus on. I also started cooking in large batches, just for something to do, and also so when I didn’t feel like cooking at all I had a ready meal to eat. I also staggered reading books and watching TV and movies, not wanting to burn myself out of one or the other.

 

By the end of the third day, I was feeling quite proud of myself in my new hermit lifestyle. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly and I was quite proud of how well I was adapting. Not that it was that much of a stretch from how I lived before, but still, even cutting out the little trips out was a great effort. I still had a lingering wish for some fresh air, but I didn’t dare even open a window for fear my scent would get out. I was completely out of every product I had, even the little stashes I kept just in case money got a little tighter than normal. Truth be told, I was starting to get used to having my full scent wafting through the house, but I was scared my neighbours could somehow smell it, and so I started burning candles and incense as often as I could to try to mask the scent. Not like it could be masked all that much, but still. I tried. I had to do _something_.

 

I was so proud of myself, in fact, that I decided to order something for delivery. I’d made a small bonus for my productivity the week before, and I figured why not splurge. It wasn’t like I was going out anytime soon, so nice clothes or anything like that was just not necessary. Food was about the only luxury I had left. So I ordered some Chinese food from a nearby restaurant that I fell in love with shortly after my … _transition_ … here, and I sat back and relaxed for a bit as I waited.

 

A little sooner than I expected, I heard the buzzer go off to notify me that someone was outside and needed to be let in. _That_ _’_ _s pretty fast,_ I remembered thinking, figuring they must not be as busy as I thought they were, and I pushed the intercom button to confirm. “Hello? Who is this?”

 

The person who answered, however, was not the delivery person. I had only heard this voice once in my life, but I knew it. Knew it just as I knew my name. It was _him_. “Hey, we ran into each other in the store the other day. You, uh … you ran before I had a chance to talk to you.”

 

My hand shook by the button. How did he even find me? I swallowed hard, my eyes suddenly darting around my studio, as if I was somehow being watched, even though the blinds were closed and no one else was present.

 

I took so long to respond, he had to prompt, “Hello? Are you still there?”

 

Pressing the button, I shakily asked, “What do you want?”

 

“Look, I-I just wanna talk, okay? If you’re more comfortable doing it in public, I have no problem with that, I just need to talk to you.”

 

I snorted. Being in public wouldn’t do me any good. Plus, with how my scent blockers had completely worn off, everyone would know. There would be no escaping who and what I was, no running or hiding or denying. Everything that I had worked hard for – independence, freedom, a life for myself – if I stepped a foot out that door and submitted to that Alpha, that was all gone. And I couldn’t do that. “I haven’t worked my ass off for everything I have just to turn around and have an Alpha snatch it away from me. Sorry, not interested. Now please leave me alone.” Stepping back from the intercom, I wrapped my arms around me as I tried not to let my breathing get out of control like it wanted. I hoped and prayed to whatever deity might exist that this Alpha would just take the hint and leave. I really didn’t like the thought of him just hanging around outside my building, waiting for me to leave. _Good thing I don_ _’_ _t plan to_.

 

Alas, he didn’t leave without one last message for me. “I understand. But look, if you ever change your mind, I’m gonna leave my number on a piece of paper here, tucked under a rock next to the door. You need anything, no matter what it is, just give me a call, no strings attached. I promise.”

 

_Fat lot of good a promise from an Alpha is,_ I silently fumed, but ten minutes later when the delivery guy buzzed me and I went to fetch my order, I found myself automatically reaching for the paper. I wasn’t even sure why I took it, truth be told, but something in me told me to. He’d written his name, Steve – along with an “A” – next to one number, and underneath it was another name and number … this one was Bucky, with a “B” alongside it. _Alpha and Beta?_ That was interesting. There weren’t too many Betas in the mix where I came from and I felt a little more off-balance, like I maybe I needed to step back and reevaluate the situation. _Yeah, right, like having a Beta around is really going to make a difference when the Alpha takes everything_. Still, instead of throwing away the paper, I ended up setting it on my counter, giving it no more thought for the evening.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty stuff begins this chapter :D

It had been a week since the intercom incident, and while there hadn’t been another one, I still felt uneasy and on edge. Somehow, someway, he had found me. I didn’t know how, but he had. Maybe he was in law enforcement or he had some connections somewhere, I wasn’t sure. Ultimately, it didn’t matter, what did matter is that he’d somehow figured out where I lived down to the exact apartment so he could use the intercom to contact me. I was immediately suspicious of anything and everything, jumping at the littlest sound, wondering if he’d found a way inside, a way to get to me. It was never him, though, there was always another explanation, and eventually I wondered if this wasn’t a good sign. _He obviously knows where you live, if he could figure that out, getting in here wouldn’t be too much more difficult. But he hasn’t. He_ is _leaving you alone, like you asked. And maybe that’s a good thing?_

 

I still didn’t dwell on it, too cautious to even consider contacting him. I hadn’t even put their numbers in my phone, the piece of paper still lying on my counter. I’d moved it a couple of times as I’d cleaned or cooked, but not once had I even considered throwing it in the trash. And I wasn’t even completely sure why.

 

And so I continued with my routine. Work, yoga, cooking, cleaning, reading, meditation, Netflix … lather, rinse, repeat. My little studio was cleaner than it had ever been since I moved in. Not that I was messy or anything, but the little things that barely got done, I invested in making sure I did them more often, like cleaning the vents and wiping down the baseboards. After all, what else was there to do? Might as well be productive, I figured. I also put in some overtime at work, since I wasn’t going anywhere. My plan of saving up to move out loomed in the back of my mind, and with the overtime hours, it was only going to be easier. Well, relatively. Without my scent-blockers, there was no hiding the fact that I was an Omega, so housing would be difficult to procure. Difficult, but not impossible, as I still had a few tricks up my sleeve. And I still kept a look out online to see if I could find any products that would help me disguise my scent, though it was to no avail. I even considered getting onto the dark web to see if there was anything to be found there, but I didn’t know enough to be confident about it, and so I left it alone. Worse come to worse, I had an ID for a random Alpha, I could always fill out paperwork remotely and then, as the Alpha, arrange to have “my Omega” – myself – pick up the keys. It was risky, and I’d have to find the right management group to allow something like that, but it was always an option. I hadn’t gotten as far as I had without having backup plans.

 

Two weeks passed since the intercom incident, and then three. I slowly eased up and started to relax a little, figuring that if they were going to put the pressure on me, then they would have done so already. The more time that passed, the more confident I felt that I could make a clean getaway. I was already looking up other cities – considering that a lot of cities here were different and there was no Metropolis or Star City to fall back on – looking at possibilities, and I had a couple of options already. I was also close to having enough to put down a deposit on a place. Depending on how I felt and what resources I might have to utilise, I went back and forth between the notion of renting a trailer to haul everything I owned or just packing as much as I could into my car, leaving the rest, and just starting over fresh. I didn’t own a lot of valuable stuff, but what I did I had spent time procuring, and I didn’t really want to leave anything behind. If I felt rushed, however, I would do what I had to. Being free was more important.

 

The beginning of the fourth week, however, my planning was put on hold a bit as my heat began to hit. It was about time, and when I woke up one morning feeling bloated and a little crampy, I internally groaned. I hated going into heat, hated the way it made me feel, the things I felt that I had to do to myself just to get some relief. Not that I was against masturbation, but it just felt _forced_ , and I hated that. But I couldn’t do much beyond curse my biology, stuff a towel under my door just to try to head off any potential scent carryover, and light as many candles as I could. Work was difficult to concentrate on, and how I powered through that day, I wasn’t quite sure. I did my best, however, and by the time I logged off, it was harder and harder to ignore my growing need. My pants and underwear were soaked with slick, and I pulled off all my clothes, feeling hot and fevered. Stumbling to my dresser, I dug out the fake dick I always used, lying back on my bed as I rubbed the hard length against my clit. It always felt good, at least, and I knew exactly how to pleasure myself, but as I prepared to tease my entrance, thoughts of the Alpha I’d bonded to came to me, unbidden.

 

I sat straight up in the bed, scared at first, wondering if my heat would call out to him. I felt nothing over our bond, however, no indication that he was close, even though suddenly that was all I ever wanted. Quelling my body’s rebellious desires, I laid back down and made to penetrate myself, but as the length start to stretch me, I couldn’t help but picture the Alpha – _my_ Alpha – as the one doing the deed. I shuddered, unable to rid myself of the image as I pumped the toy in and out of me, struggling against it at first before I finally gave in. It was just a mental image, after all, a fantasy. He could have any name or face, it didn’t matter. Just because I’d physically seen him, talked to him, bonded to him, that meant nothing. He was nice to look at, from what I’d seen, I couldn’t deny. So fuck it, why not get off to him? After all, surely he’d gone into a rut by now, and who’s to say he didn’t do the same? Did he take care of himself, or did his Beta help him? Had he fucked him, thinking of knotting me all the while? The thought of the two men going at it was too much for my brain to handle, and it momentarily shorted out as I came, clamping down on the fake knot.

 

Breathing heavily, I gathered what wits I could about me before I pulled the toy out of me, walking on shaky legs over to the sink to clean it off. In the aftermath, with my hormones settled down, I felt a little more disgusted with myself getting off to the thought of that Alpha. I had a feeling, though, that once those waves of desire returned, he would be right back in the forefront of my thoughts. I groaned as I realised that, since I was technically bonded, even without finalising it, my body was still craving him, wanting him. It took everything in me to not grab that piece of paper with his phone number on it and call him, beg him to come over and knot me, claim me. Only the thought of losing everything I’d worked so very hard for kept me from doing that. Being claimed, that was the point of no return. And no matter what my stupid biological urges told me, I couldn’t allow that.

 

I tried to meditate and do some yoga, and I actually did manage to get through a gentle routine. But as I dropped to a plank position, I felt a familiar gush between my legs, and I moaned as my thighs slid together, providing the barest amount of friction. _Fuck_ , was about all I could think, and I sighed as I stripped out of the shorts and sports bra I’d donned, not wanting any fabric on me as my skin heated to the point where it almost felt like I was burning from the inside. Grabbing the toy that I’d left drying on the counter, I didn’t even make it to the bed as I dropped to my knees on the kitchen floor, pushing it inside me and moaning as I used the suction cup to stick it to the floor. Running my hands over my body, my hips bucked and twisted as I rode the fake knot, putting up only a token resistance to an image of the Alpha, sprawled beneath me, hands gripping my hips and eyes burning into me. My own hands turned into the Beta’s hands, fondling my breasts before pinching my nipples, making me whimper and clench on the cock buried inside me. I could almost feel him, the ghost of his lips against my neck, the feel of his body behind me as I fucked his Alpha – _our_ Alpha – until I cried out my orgasm, collapsing forward against the cool hardwood floor, my fluids leaking around the toy buried inside me.

 

It took me a little longer to recover from that one, and my brain was slowly turning to mush as I rose from the floor, wiping off the mess I’d made on the floor before I made my way to the shower. I took the toy with me, recognising the state that I was descending into, knowing that there was no way I could even get a decent wash in before I needed more. I was getting too far gone, now, and I only set the water to lukewarm, knowing that with how hot I was feeling, hot water would feel far too warm against my heated skin. It was refreshing, and I stood under the stream for several long minutes, relishing the feel. As my hands moved over my body, however, I knew it wasn’t long now. Eyeing the toy, I shuddered as I pictured them both in the shower with me, their large bodies taking up so much space that I could barely move. I didn’t even fight the image, not anymore, and I gasped and closed my eyes so I could picture it that much more clearly. The hard muscles that had been so easy to glimpse beneath the thin t-shirts they’d worn, the rough hand covered in callouses that I’d felt as the Alpha had helped me to my feet. Two sets of hands roaming over my body, skirting my breasts as one or two buried itself between my thighs, fingers searching and then finding my clit. A sneaky grin as I moaned when they did, increasing the pressure and the motion as they teased me, driving me higher and higher as my gasps became shaky and my whimpers needy. Then and only then, when I was at the edge of desperation, would they truly do anything about it, and I grabbed the toy, sticking the suction cup to the shower wall as I guided it to my entrance, not even attempting to muffle the loud moan as it penetrated me.

 

Flexing my hips, I worked the long length in and out, feeling every inch of every curve as it hit just right. The cool tile hit the curve of the ass on every downstroke, but the contrast between it and my heated skin just drove me wilder. Reaching between my legs, I imagined the Beta’s hand groping me, fumbling for my clit, pressing down hard on it as he laid me bare with an open-mouthed kiss. My motions became faster, harder, more desperate as I fucked myself against the wall, the lukewarm water helping to keep me cool as I reached that peak in record time.

 

Falling to my knees yet again, I had to take a little bit to recover so I wouldn’t fall right back over once I got up. My legs shook when I finally did, bracing myself against the wall as I used the towel bar to pull myself up. I didn’t even bother with drying myself as I shut off the water, grabbing the toy and simply taking it to the bed with me, not minding how my body wet the sheets beneath me. I was far too gone, pressing the toy into me once more, image after image assaulting my brain as I got myself off again and again and again, all through the night, stopping only to take naps in between. Work the next day would be long with the lack of sleep, but I would power through. I had before, after all. And somewhere in between the moans and the orgasms, I pictured what it might really be like, being bonded, having an Alpha and a Beta to snuggle up to once my appetite had been momentarily sated. A pang of loneliness echoed in my chest, and I eyed the spot on the counter where I knew the piece of paper with their phone numbers on laid. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it, couldn’t take that risk, and so I took care of myself through the night, allowing my fantasies to run wild only in the heat of the moment and banishing them once I came down. A little make believe didn’t hurt anyone, I figured, and if it helped ease my heat along, then so be it.

 

The next morning, I awoke slowly, groggy and exhausted. My legs felt like jelly as I lurched over to the sink once more, cleaning off the toy one last time before I tucked it in my dresser. My heats were thankfully short, though they left me completely drained, and I fixed a large pot of coffee as I took a shower and dressed for the day. My skin tingled as I pulled on the yoga pants and the dark blue long sleeved shirt, still sensitive as the remaining hormones made their way out of my system, which was why I picked clothes with paper thin fabrics. But despite their lingering affects, I felt much more human, more in control than I had the previous day, and I took the towel away from the door as I no longer needed it, my pheromones depleted for this go round.

 

As I knew it would, work dragged on seemingly forever, but I kept the coffee pot full and just pushed through, promising myself that I would take a nice long nap once I was done. My stomach grumbled as I contemplated it, and I sighed. _Fine, I’ll order something quick, and_ then _I’ll take a nap after I eat._ It was a compromise I could live with, and I put it an order from the same Chinese place that I had before, timing it so that I would have time to finish up work and clock out before it arrived. It worked out perfectly, as I’d just shut down the computer and was cleaning out the coffee pot when my intercom buzzed with the delivery. Shoving a couple of bills in my pocket, I hopped down the stairs and picked up my order, letting the diver keep the change before I ensured that I fully closed the door. Maybe it was my paranoia, but I feared not closing the door all the way and certain someones making their way inside. Even though they likely could have done that at any juncture, with any careless neighbour. Or they could have utilised whatever connections they had to find me to get inside. It was perhaps slightly irrational, but I made sure the door clicked shut all the same.

 

If only I’d known that the real danger was inside the building.


	3. Chapter 3

I was just outside my apartment, keys in hand to unlock the door, when I heard someone call out. “Hey, you! With the Chinese food!” Cautiously, I turned my head, but I already knew from the sound of the voice that it was neither the Alpha or the Beta that I’d unexpectedly bonded to. Instead, it looked like one of my neighbours – Frank, was it? I couldn’t be too sure – and the way he was looking at me, standing just down the hall, leaning on his own door … it was downright predatory. He inhaled deeply before he remarked, “You’re an Omega, huh? Pretty rare these days.”

 

Cocking an eyebrow, I inserted the key into the lock without even looking. “Uh, not really.”

 

He chuckled. “Says you. I’ve only seen an Omega once, and that was years ago. He was already claimed, though. You, however …” His eyes squinted, becoming sharp as he murmured, “I don’t see a mark on you. You’re unclaimed.” I licked my lips nervously, my hand shaking a little as I turned the key in the deadbolt and took it out to unlock the bottom lock in the doorknob. “Say, uh … if you’re unclaimed, why don’t you let me knot you? Fine Omega like you, can’t be walking around alone, you know.”

 

I managed to get the door unlocked and as I opened it I threw back, “Uh, no thank you, I’m not interested.”

 

“Oh come on, sweetheart,” he entreated, pushing himself off of his doorframe and walking briskly toward me. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

 

“I said no thank you!” I quickly yelled, pushing my door shut and moving to lock the door as quickly as my shaking hands would work, hoping and praying that by closing the door that would signal to him that I wanted to be left alone and he would take the hint, just like the Alpha I’d bonded to.

 

Unfortunately, I had no such luck. Just as I was locking the deadbolt, he started pounding on the door, and his scent wafted over me, strong and full, smelling like wheat. He was putting out his pheromones, trying to force my Omega senses to accept him, though since I’d already bonded to another Alpha it wouldn’t work. It scared me. Scared me because if I hadn’t already bonded, there was a chance that it would have worked, that my senses would have overtaken me and I would have been unable to fight against it, opening the door and allowing a stranger to claim me. I set the takeout bag on the counter, shaking, hoping that he would just leave, but the pounding only got louder. I clamped my hands over my ears, a sob ripping from my throat as I could only think, _What the fuck do I do?_ If I called the cops, they would know immediately I was an unclaimed Omega, and my whole life would unravel as I was stripped bare of all of the privileges I’d worked so hard to earn. If I didn’t do anything, from the sounds of it, this Alpha would break down my door and forcefully claim me, and once again I would lose everything. While I did have a fire escape outside my window, if I left without any scent-blockers intact, I would be at the mercy of the city, and considering my neighbours reaction, I likely wouldn’t fare any better. I could try to run for it, but with everything I would need for work, it would take too long to transport everything to my car and leave. I only had one real option on the table, and boy was it ever a long shot.

 

I had to contact the Alpha and Beta I’d bonded to.

 

It scared me almost beyond words, but considering how they hadn’t contacted me once after I’d told them to leave me alone, how they’d not even attempted to break into the building or my apartment, how they hadn’t notified the proper authorities and had me stripped of everything I owned, those facts gave me a spark of hope, hope that by contacting them that I wasn’t just throwing my life away. I had to try, at least, and if I had to be enslaved, I supposed better to be enslaved by eye candy instead of the greasy, pot-bellied Alpha with a receding hairline that was currently banging on my door.

 

I grabbed the piece of paper, wavering slightly as I looked over Steve’s number, opting at the last minute to dial Bucky’s instead, hoping the Beta was understanding. I dialled the number as quickly as my shaking fingers could punch the numbers, and I waited breathlessly for someone to answer. One ring turned into two, turned into three, and as I was about to get hysterical, someone picked up. “Hello? Who is this?”

 

I stammered to get out the needed information. “H-hi, my name’s Michelle. Oh, you might not know my name, huh? Um, I’m the Omega that bonded to your Alpha?”

 

“Of course I remember. What’s wrong?”

 

It must have been even easier to tell by my tone of voice that something was up. “I’m in trouble. One of my neighbours is trying to break in, and I have nowhere else to go and no one else to call ...”

 

He didn’t even hesitate, didn’t allow me to continue to ramble as he quickly interjected with the reassurance, “Just stay right there, we’ll be over.”

 

_Click._

 

Well, that was that. The pounding was getting louder and louder, and I backed up further into my room, hoping that the door wouldn’t give, hoping that they would arrive soon. Of course, I didn’t know where they were, where they lived or worked, and so I had no idea how quickly they might arrive. It could be a few minutes or upwards of an hour or more, depending on where in the city they were. Because of the lack of information, I decided to take a gamble and yelled, “Leave me alone! I’ve called the authorities, they’re on their way.”

 

Either he didn’t hear me or he didn’t care as the pounding didn’t cease. The door was physically shaking and I began to panic, not knowing if I could really be safe or not. I decided to take a chance and opened my window, but instead of crawling out to the fire escape, I slipped into the nearby bathroom, closing and locking the door. With any luck, he would see the open window and put two and two together that I’d left already so he could go on his way. How long I stood there in the darkened bathroom, listening to the insistent pounding on the door, I couldn’t say for sure. It felt like an eternity unto itself, and I wanted to cry, but had to keep silent. No sobs, no sniffles, nothing that could give me away should he make it into the apartment. I simply stood by the door and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep my body from shaking too badly. I could practically feel the apartment door rattling in its hinges as the pounding was reaching a fevered pitch, and I almost yelped as I heard the door finally give and smash against the wall.

 

Clamping a hand over my mouth, my eyes were as wide as saucers as I heard him call out to me, start to trace over the length of the apartment. I didn’t have a large studio, and my heart pounded in my chest as he stood right outside the bathroom door, right where I’d left the open window. I’d left it so close in case my scent wafted from the bathroom, that my exit point being near there would be the excuse and the connection.

 

I hoped, at least. But my hope was in vain.

 

My luck ran out as he tried the locked bathroom door before laughing. “Thought you could fool me, huh? You’re a clever little Omega, I’ll give you that, but I’m an Alpha for a reason. I’ll give you one last chance to come peacefully, after that I’m breaking down this door.”

 

I just stood there, stock still, trying not to hyperventilate, vacillating between ignoring his request and maybe going along with it just long enough to buy me time to escape. Without knowing how far away my bonded Alpha and Beta was, though, I didn’t want to risk it, and I simply stood there, body tensed, ready to spring when the moment came.

 

The Alpha just outside the door sighed. “You want to go the hard way? Fine.” He vigorously started rattling the door handle, trying to see if he could force it open, and I was afraid that it might end up being too easy for him. It didn’t give right away, however, and he resorted to pounding on the door and asking me to open up a few more times before he started hitting the door more purposefully, and I jumped as the whole thing shook in its frame. I would only have a small window, a very small _potential_ window once the door came down, and I knelt in order to try to catch him off guard and scuttle past him. It couldn’t hold out forever, and it didn’t as it suddenly swung inward, breaking off of the top part of the hinge and just barely holding on at the bottom. I immediately sprung into action, ducking past him and trying to make it out of the apartment before he could catch me.

 

I heard a grunt behind me and a whoosh of wind, like he’d tried to grab me, and I was instantly thankful that my hair was cut rather short so there was nothing for him to easily catch hold of. He wasn’t about to let me go that easily, however, not after he’d gone this far, and just when I thought I was out of his reach, he reached out and tripped me with his foot, sending me sprawling to the floor. The wind was knocked out of me with an “oomph” as I landed on my chest, but I instantly started to scramble to both get up and get away from him. My momentary trip was just enough time for him, however, as he caught hold of my leg and pulled me back toward him. I kicked and thrashed wildly, but it seemed like no matter what I did, it was no more than a momentary nuisance for him. With seeming little difficulty, he’d hauled me back, flipped me over, and pinned me to the floor with his body. At first, he coiled a hand around my neck, squeezing hard, hard enough so that I couldn’t get a good breath in and I started to see stars. It made me fight all the harder, and my struggle at least impaired his ability to pull down my pants, at which point I was regretting my choice in yoga pants over jeans, as the latter would have made it at least a little harder to navigate with one hand. Not that I could have possibly seen this coming, of course.

 

He growled in frustration, finally unwinding his hand from around my neck and leaving me dizzy with the sudden influx of oxygen as he grabbed at my hands. I didn’t make it easy for him to grab them, but my position made my range of motion considerably limited, and he captured both of my wrists and was able to pin them against my chest. Knowing he had the upper hand now, he leered over me, finally able to grab at my pants and pull them down much easier, considering that he had my hands restrained so they couldn’t push him away or claw at him. Chuckling, he commented, “I always wanted an Omega of my own.” I swallowed the bile that threatened to surface, wiggling as much as I could to fend him off, but it did me no good. He was much bigger and stronger than I was, and it was simply too late.

 

It was then that my luck finally started to look up. Well, in a way, at least.

 

Frank was suddenly yanked off of me, almost pulling me with him, and I ended up in almost a sitting position before he let go. Bewildered, I looked around to see that it was the blond Alpha I’d bonded to who had ripped him away from me. The brunette Beta immediately stepped around him and was at my side, eyeing my pants, which were somewhere around my knees at this point. “It’s okay,” he crooned in a low voice. “You’re safe. Did he ...”

 

I shook my head to his unasked question, pulling up my pants as I still sat there on the floor. “He tried. I fought him off long enough, I guess.”

 

He reached out to me, but I shied away, and he didn’t push it, dropping his hand back down to his side. “Did he hit you? Hurt you in any way?”

 

I felt numb, like a robot as I answered, “He tripped me, manhandled me, and choked me. That’s about it.”

 

His eyes grew dark, and I could almost swear I saw his jaw tighten, but I was too busy looking away from him and the new Alpha in the room to take much note of it. “The authorities are on their way, Steve’s got him handled in the meantime.”

 

I whipped back around to face him. “The cops are coming?” I asked, panicked.

 

“Yeah, we notified them on our way over. Why?”

 

My shoulders sagged and I pulled my knees to my chest, my worst fear finally coming to light. I had thought that this would have mitigated getting the authorities involved, but no, they had simply moved to call them themselves. Cold fear wrapped itself around my gut, spiralling up my torso until it felt like it would choke me out. I could have cried had I not felt so numb, and I rested my head in my hands as I murmured, “It’s over.”

 

“What’s over?” he asked quietly, like we were the only two people in the room, like his Alpha wasn’t simply restraining another Alpha with pure brute force.

 

I shook my head. “Everything. Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve earned, my job, my home, I’m about to lose it all because some fucking creep can’t just keep his hands to himself.” My breathing increased slightly as it started settling in, the idea that the very thing I’d been trying to avoid this whole time was about to happen, and I couldn’t quite come to terms with that.

 

“Why?” he asked, seemingly oblivious. But how could he be? Even as a Beta, surely he knew and understood how Omegas were treated, how they were given very little control over their own lives. Could he really be that sheltered?

 

“Why?” I repeated. “I’m an Omega, what other reason does there need to be? We can’t rent without an Alpha’s approval, can’t own or drive a car without them signing off on it, can’t even work a damn job and make a living for ourself that isn’t poverty level. I’ve only made it this far because I’ve used scent-blockers to cover up who I am, but since I can’t fucking find any in this godforsaken city, I’m toast!”

 

His demeanour subtly changed, softened ever so slightly, and he reached out just to settle a hand on my shoulder. When I didn’t shy away this time – I had bigger worries at the moment – he spoke in a low, gentle tone, “I’m not sure how things were where you came from, but here, that doesn’t happen, I promise you.” Some commotion at the door ensued when the police arrived, and I immediately tensed, anxious at how this would play out. “Look, I know you don’t know us very well, and we don’t really know you, but we have your best interests at heart. Just … trust me, okay? Things will work out just fine, don’t worry.” He shot me a half-grin as he added, “If anyone, the police will listen to Captain America and the Winter Soldier.”

 

My eyebrows furrowed. “Who?”

 

He outright laughed at that. “Doll, you wound me.” Getting to his feet, he reached down with a hand and entreated, “C’mon, let’s talk to the officers. I won’t let anything happen to you, promise.”

 

Well, there was nothing for it. I didn’t really have any other options. I’d made my bed, now I had to lie in it, and the many worries I had crowded my mind as I took his hand and allowed him to help me to my feet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because of MK11 demanding my attention, I haven't finished chapter 5 yet, but it will be soon, I promise!

I chewed my lip as I stood there timidly, listening as the Alpha – _Steve_ , that was his name, it was difficult to remember in the stress of the moment – give his accounting of the events. It was pretty straightforward, all things considered. They’d gotten a call from me, they came over, they found my door busted down and a man holding me down on the floor, assaulting me. That was all very fine and good, but when the officers started training their eyes on me, I wished I could just shrink and disappear. I expected to be leered at, to be treated disrespectfully, hell I half-expected them to uncuff the unruly Alpha and evict me immediately.

 

Instead, to my surprise, they were quite delicate. They made everyone else leave my apartment, save for a female officer – a Beta, by the smell – who stayed to talk to me and go over everything from my point of view. I was still shaking as I came down from the adrenaline rush, but despite the state I was in, I did my best to give an accurate description of what exactly happened. The officer asked appropriate questions, notated all my answers, and informed me of the charges he would be facing as a result of his actions. If the way I was treated was a surprise, hearing that he would actually face punishment was a bigger surprise, still. Alphas could and did get away with murder on the daily, why was it suddenly different? Not that thought their special treatment was right, it was just the norm, it was what I was used to. There was still one large, lingering worry that hung over me as I timidly asked, “What about me?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, what’s going to happen to me?”

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow,” the officer replied gently.

 

Taking a deep breath, wondering if I was potentially fucking up by letting her in on this, I told her, “I’m an Omega living alone, with a job, unmated. Am I going to be evicted? Are you going to notify my employer?”

 

“Why would we?” she asked as she put away her notebook.

 

This was just getting weirder. “But, that’s illegal without an Alpha’s consent.”

 

She chuckled, but not in a mocking way. “Nothing illegal about that. You don’t need anyone’s consent to live your life. Now,” she shifted her weight as she changed the subject, “your landlord has been notified about the damages, and my partner says he’s coming right over. He’ll probably have some way to secure the apartment until he can get everything fixed, but it might be best if you stayed somewhere else for tonight.”

 

Nodding, I was internally disappointed at the prospect of having to dip into my deposit funds to procure a place to stay. Hotels weren’t exactly inexpensive in the area, not unless you went with the cheap kind of option that left you sleeping with one eye open. Depending on how long I would be staying, it could potentially wipe out the savings I’d carefully built. But what else could I do? As the officer left me alone with my thoughts to inform her colleagues, I pondered the options that I had, which weren’t many. One of them was that maybe, just maybe, this was the sign that I needed to move on, to just leave and never look back. Perhaps that would be best, for me to just disappear and drop off the radar. It would make everything much less complicated, surely. This Alpha and Beta could go back to living their lives and I could keep forging my own path, just as I’d been doing for years. But the second they stepped back into my apartment, I knew in my gut that I couldn’t just cut and run. Besides the fact that they had put me in a position of zero pressure, they were actually _nice_ to me. How weird was that, an Alpha and a Beta being nice to an Omega? Certainly wasn’t something you saw every day. I began to wonder just how life might be …

 

I was shaken out of my pondering when Steve approached me, concern still etched on his features, Bucky right behind him. “Hey, how are you doing?”

 

“Uh, okay I guess. Just kinda shaken up,” I replied honestly, still hugging myself, like if I didn’t let go then I definitely wouldn’t fall apart.

 

He nodded, accepting the answer, not pushing any further than that. “Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?”

 

Slowly, I shook my head. “No. Guess I better hope it won’t take long to repair everything or else my savings’ll get wiped out pretty quick staying in a hotel around here,” I said with a nervous laugh, as if the gesture could wipe out all the awkwardness I was feeling. It did not work.

 

“You could always stay with us,” he immediately offered without hesitation.

 

“I … don’t know that that’s such a good idea,” I protested gently, not wanting to outright refuse to his face, especially after he’d come to my rescue without question.

 

“It doesn’t have to be a permanent thing,” he offered. “We have a guest bedroom, you could set up in there. We won’t bother you, promise.”

 

Well, that was better than being expected to share a bed or direct space with them, but there had to be a catch somewhere. “And just what is that gonna cost me?”

 

He looked surprised at the question. “Nothing.”

 

I arched an eyebrow, a bit incredulous. “Really? You expect me to come in and take up your space, use your electricity, your water, your internet, and not pay you in any way?”

 

“Well … yeah. Why would we?” He seemed as genuinely puzzled as I was. Taking a breath, he said, “I think there’s some sort of miscommunication going on.”

 

That was for sure. “Uh, yeah. You guys realise what I am, right? An Omega?”

 

“Of course, I knew it the moment I took your hand.”

 

“Then why are you acting like this? Being so nice? No offence, I definitely appreciate you coming to the rescue here, but this is … weird.”

 

“Why wouldn’t we be?”

 

“Because you’re an _Alpha_ , you can do whatever you want.”

 

He was silent for a moment, eyes flicking over to Bucky before he asked, his voice lower, “Why do you expect us to treat you badly?”

 

My jaw clenched as I fought back tears, a lifetime’s worth of discrimination and abuse running through my head. “Because that’s how we’re always treated.”

 

His eyes flicked over to his Beta for a moment before he replied, “Bucky mentioned what you said. And I couldn’t help but overhear your discussion with the officer.” Tapping his ear, he explained, “Super soldier serum makes your hearing a helluva lot more sensitive. Point is, it’s clear that wherever you’re from, it’s world’s different from here.” Sighing, he continued, “I think it would benefit everyone here if we sat down and had a conversation. Doesn’t have to be anything deep if you don’t want it to be, but you obviously don’t have as good a grasp on how this society functions and we wanna help you acclimate.”

 

“So you think I’m dumb?”

 

Grimacing, he replied, “Sorry, that didn’t quite come out as well as I wanted.”

 

Bucky jabbed him in the ribs. “Steve can be dumb sometimes, the way he words things.” Fixing me with a stare, he said, “Look, doll, you’re obviously new around here, and you seem pretty green. We’re just offering a helping hand. We aren’t looking to take away anything you’ve done or isolate you or make you our slave or whatever it is you’re afraid we’re gonna do. Let’s just talk, you and us, and fill in some details. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, and the offer of a place to stay still stands regardless of your decision. But we’d like to understand where you’re coming from, and I think you could benefit from it.”

 

I mulled over the option in my mind, and to my surprise – it seemed like I was having a lot of those lately – I didn’t outright reject it immediately. If they’d given me this offer the day they’d met me, I would have had no reservations about turning them down. But with the way they had consistently treated me with a hands-off, no pressure attitude, and also with how the officers had treated me and indicated the offending Alpha would be duly prosecuted – not to mention how I _still_ had been unable to find any kind of scent-blocking product anywhere, either physically or online – it seemed that I was due an explanation of my current circumstances. So, against a few of my better senses, I felt myself nodding and agreeing with, “Okay, yeah. Um, just give me a little bit to pack up?”

 

They nodded, Bucky assuring me, “We’ll be just outside.”

 

Alone in my apartment once more, I thought to myself, _Just what are you getting into?_ Before I’d woken up here, if I had been in a similar position, I would have had no reservations about noping the fuck out of the situation and running for the hills. But with everything strange that had happened, my curiousity was getting the better of me. And so, after I closed the window I had left open for the feign, I found myself digging a bag out of my closet and throwing my clothes and toiletries inside before I carefully packed up my work laptop and binder and grabbed my Chinese food that still sat on the counter, untouched thus far. I’d bought and paid for it, after all, I figured no reason to not take it with me. I also stuffed a few food essentials in my bag, not wanting to cause them an undue burden, along with a couple of books to tide me over. Once I was done, I walked out my door to see my landlord consulting with the maintenance guy.

 

When he saw me, he waved me over and told me, “Hey, sorry about all this trouble. These doors are, unfortunately, not exactly standard, so we’ll have to put an order in for ‘em. In the meantime, he can nail the old door in place, it’s only broken in a few places, but obviously you won’t be able to get in to get anything.”

 

I nodded. “Just let me know when it’s fixed.”

 

“Sure thing.”

 

Yet another surprise followed when Steve and Bucky carried my bag and work satchel out to their waiting vehicle, a dark SUV parked halfway on the curb. Looked like they had pulled up in a hurry, but there was surprisingly no ticket to be found, and I shrugged. _Lucky_. If I’d done the same to my car, a ticket would be the least of my worries, provided it hadn’t just been immediately towed. The car ride to their condo was short and silent, and I was surprised and a little unnerved that they lived so close to me. But I supposed that explained the short response time, as if they lived further in the city, it could have taken much more time to get to me. Time that the Alpha would have had me all to himself, time that he could have …

 

I shuddered as I shoved the thought out of my head. Dwelling on shit didn’t get me anywhere, and so by the time we were unloading the SUV, I was contemplating just how this whole conversation was going to go. I had to admit, while this place _looked_ a helluva lot like where I’d come from, there were some differences that were only becoming more obvious the longer I stayed and the more I interacted with other people. And what I’d been told about Omegas so far … well, I wouldn’t say it gave me hope, exactly, because that was the kind of thing I’d trained myself not to give in to. But it did make me eager to learn more about this place, about how the status quo was, and even where I could fit in.

 

My bags were deposited in the guest bedroom, which was on the first floor – their bedroom, they explained, was actually right above mine on the second – and we settled around their dining room table to talk as I dug in to my dinner, much later than I’d anticipated. It was long cold, but I didn’t mind that. In my opinion, the only thing better than warm Chinese food was cold Chinese food. Food temperature didn’t bother me one bit. The only thing I was truly interested in was the conversation that was to come. “So,” I began, “where do we start?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all my readers who had already been voraciously reading and commenting in support. :) I'm gonna be trying to work on an update for another one of my stories, but I'll get back to this ASAP, since I don't think this story is going to be all that long and I'd like to wrap up part 1 of my Displaced Soulmates series quickly!

The Alpha and Beta shared a few glances between them before Steve cleared his throat and asked, “So, just to confirm … is your name Lucia or Michelle?”

 

My eyes widened just a little bit, though I supposed if they found where I lived, it should have made sense that they knew my first name. “Lucia’s my first name, but I usually go by Michelle.” I shrugged. “It’s not a huge deal to me, whatever people wanna call me. They just usually somehow butcher my first name.”

 

Bucky’s eyebrow arched. “How do they get Lucia wrong?”

 

I had to laugh. “Any which way they can. I dunno what’s so hard about it, either, but you guys seem to have the hang of it.”

 

I broken open my chopsticks and they let me take a few bites in silence before Steve asked, “Where are you from?”

 

“Gotham.”

 

His eyebrows furrowed. “I’ve never heard of Gotham before. Is it in New York?”

 

“Yes. Well, kinda. It _was_.”

 

They seemed puzzled, as could be expected from such a response. “What do you mean _was_?” Bucky asked.

 

“I mean, it _was_ a part of the New York that I lived in. Then one night I went to bed and woke up _here_ where there is no Gotham. Also no Metropolis, no Star City, no Central City, no Blüdhaven, nothing like what I remember. Well, aside from the heroes running around. We have them, too.”

 

That seemed to pique their interest. “Are they like the Avengers?” Steve wondered.

 

I shrugged. “I don’t know any of ‘em from manners, so, no idea. All I know is they’re called the Justice League and they’re made up of mostly Alphas. And that’s really all I need to know about them.”

 

Silence blanketed the room for a few minutes as they processed, and I continued to eat, wondering what they might ask next. It was seemingly Bucky’s turn next, and his voice was a little lower and softer as he began, “In the apartment, you were telling me that you were afraid of losing everything … your apartment, your job … just because you’re an Omega. Is that how Omegas are treated where you’re from?”

 

Digging around in the rice with my chopsticks, I suddenly found it difficult to look them in the eye. “Yeah. That’s how it’s always been. Scent-blockers are the only reason I even had a job or a car or an apartment in the first place.”

 

The Beta’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Scent … _blockers_?”

 

His confusion was almost adorable, but at the broach of a subject that had been frustrating me for weeks, I couldn’t help the outburst. “Okay, seriously, is that really not a thing here?” When neither answered me, I clarified with, “You know, products that will mask your scent. Shampoo, soap, lotion, pills … it neutralises your scent so no one knows if you’re an Alpha or an Omega or whatever.”

 

There was a moment of quiet before the Alpha replied, his tone lower and gentle, “No one here has a need to cover their scent.”

 

That was a strange revelation for me to wrap my head around. In Gotham, most people used scent blockers, it was just considered weird and somehow unhygienic not to. And for an Omega like me, of course, it was our only possible shot at maintaining a job aside from whatever menial, low-paying bullshit we might be able to scrounge up. Most, of course, didn’t risk it, not wanting to deal with the shame and the hassle should they be outed. I’d considered it worth it in order to assert my own agency and independence. The only people who didn’t use scent blockers were a handful of Alphas who were smarmy enough to believe that everyone else should be graced with their particular musk, unhindered and with no dulling. The first time I’d walked into a store here, I’d almost ran back out with my hand over my mouth, the scents were so rampant and overwhelming. It had taken a while for my nose to adjust and get used to it, but those first days left me dizzy as I sped walked through stores just to grab essentials. I’d thought it strange, of course, but the whole prospect of waking up in a brand new world, similar and yet different than my own, was strange in an overarching way. All the little things got lost in the big picture, forgotten in the shuffle of trying to figure out what happened and adjust my daily life to a new normal. Because what else was I going to do? I had no idea what happened, no clue as to how I got here, and as far as returning to my own world, I knew even less.

 

Of course, if what they were saying about how Omegas were treated here really was true – which so far, all signs were pointing to yes with that – then maybe I was better off here. It didn’t seem like anyone cared that I was an Omega, nobody minded that I kept a job and an apartment and everything like that. As weird as circumstances were, if this meant no more hiding for me … well, this whole thing may very well be worth it, then.

 

“So,” I said between a mouthful of food, “Bucky said you two were Captain America and the Winter Soldier? What the hell is that?”

 

Steve busted out laughing. “You really don’t know?”

 

I shook my head. “No clue.”

 

“We’re a part of the Avengers.”

 

That had me surprised. “You two are heroes? Damn. Wouldn’t have pegged you for that kind of thing.”

 

“Why?” Bucky asked.

 

“Well – and this is purely personal experience – but … heroes are usually kinda dicks.”

 

Bucky snickered. “Glad to disappoint you, then.”

 

The both of them spent the remainder of my meal giving me as much information about this world as I wanted, answering questions and asking their own in turn. I didn’t answer all of them, though, some of the more personal ones I declined to answer. Though I was nervous how they might react at my refusal, they took it in stride and would just move on to another subject. It was weird, how this was all playing out. But then again, weird was my new normal. Never before in my whole life would I have thought I’d willingly move in with an Alpha, as temporary as it was. I also would have never considered for one second going without any kind of scent-blockers, but now here I was, in all my smelly, Omega glory, as pitiful as that seemed. My own scent seemed rather strong even for me, but neither Steve nor Bucky said anything. Perhaps they were just used to strong smells like this, then. Their own smells were fairly strong, too, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Bucky’s reminded me of dark chocolate, rich and comforting, and Steve’s seemed very distinctly like coffee with it’s smooth, complex overtones. With all of ours combined, it reminded me of breakfast in a way, or a bakery, so I supposed the overall affect wasn’t unpleasant.

 

“So you really don’t know how you got here?” Bucky asked as I finished eating.

 

“Not a damn clue. Whatever it was, it didn’t even wake me up. It’s like I’m dreaming only I haven’t woken up. And the longer I’m here, it’s like the more it settles that this is real.”

 

Steve and Bucky shared a glance and Bucky murmured, “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

 

The Alpha nodded before turning back to me. “We have a friend who specialises in the … strange. I’m not sure how much he might know about _this_ , but he’d have a lot better shot at figuring all this out than anyone else.”

 

“Hmm,” I hummed, wondering just what good figuring this mystery out would do us. After all, as it stood, it seemed I could potentially have a lot better life here, as an Omega. But then again, who’s to say this was permanent? I could go to bed one night and wake up back in Gotham the next morning, just like that. The prospect of going back to a place where I knew I would face oppression, when I could have the option of staying in a world that seemed like I might actually be given a fair shake … “Is he an Avenger?”

 

“No,” Steve replied, “but he does help us out sometimes.”

 

_Well, why the fuck not._ “Alright. How do we meet up with this friend of yours?”

 

“I’ll contact him tomorrow at the Tower, see where he wants to go from there.”

 

“The Tower?”

 

“Avengers Tower. It’s our HQ.”

 

“Ah. Is it in space?”

 

By their expressions, that was probably the last question they expected to hear from me. “Uh, no doll, it’s here in the city. Why would it be in space?”

 

“The Justice League’s Watchtower is in space.” I shrugged. “Guess you guys haven’t upgraded yet, huh?”

 

That got a laugh out of them, and Bucky shook his head. “We’ll have to mention that to Tony, that sounds like something he’d be all over.” At my puzzled expression, he expounded with, “Tony Stark, or Ironman as you might have heard him referred to as. He’s one of the founding members of the Avengers.”

 

And with that we were on the topic of heroes for the rest of the evening as I told them about all the heroes I knew of from where I was and they told me of everyone on their team and even those they knew of who worked separately from them, like the X-Men and the Inhumans. I didn’t know a whole lot about the members of the Justice League, but I shared what I knew, at least. They were fascinated to hear about Martian Manhunter, and in turn I was fascinated by Black Bolt. Apparently, in their world, there was a rogue mutant – sometimes in league with the villains, sometimes in with the heroes, always in with herself – who was a notorious shapeshifter, though she was worlds different from what I’d heard about J’onn J’onzz, one of the few members of the Justice League who wasn’t an Alpha. And while we had Black Canary, Black Bolt’s voice powers seemed a helluva lot more powerful than hers. It was interesting that, while there were heroes and villains who had similar powers, in our respective worlds they could be applied and used in very different ways.

 

I was still a little nervous about how bedtime would play out. While I’d been given a guest bedroom, I was leery about either of them trying to passively encourage me to join them in theirs. Even though they hadn’t given me any kind of a hint that they would do something like that, old suspicions still plagued me. They did nothing unseemly, however, Bucky fetching a towel for me to use if I wanted to shower and then bidding me goodnight as he and Steve retired to their own room. For a moment, I stood in the middle of mine, wondering a good many things about my circumstances, wondering if perhaps this strange occurrence wasn’t for the best. While it was obviously quite the adjustment, it was actually … _nice_ … to be able to let go of the constant, day-to-day worry about being outed and losing everything I’d worked so hard for. It was still hard to accept at times, simply because I was so used to how things had been for me for years, but the new reality was really starting to settle in. And with the stress and anxiety starting to ease from that, little by little, I began to consider if it would be so bad to be bonded. I had been terrified of the prospect before, never picturing my life being shackled to someone else. But with the way they treated me, it didn’t feel like chains that they offered, that I would have expected. I was still utterly confused about how these events had unfolded, but I felt like I wasn’t wholly opposed to this whole prospect anymore. Where that lack of hostility would lead me, I still wasn’t sure. But I was open to potentially exploring possibilities.

 

The next day, I worked in peace, leaving the guest room only once to grab some coffee before I fired up my work laptop and logged in. At one point in the morning, Bucky knocked on the door to let me know that they were leaving for the Tower, but they’d shown me the security system the night before and so I wasn’t concerned about being alone. Hell, I’d been alone most of my life anyway, that was nothing new. Having an alarm system, however, was new, and I actually felt more comfortable knowing that it was on. Putting in my earbuds, I pulled up my work queue, starting at the top and working my way down. We’d lost a couple of employees, so work was piling up just a little, but it wasn’t getting to a worrying point just yet. Nothing that some overtime here and there wouldn’t help with, and it wasn’t like I had much of a social life for that to cut into. If there was ever a need for it, I was always the first one they went to, because I would always say yes. Extra money was always nice, and most everyone else had family and friends and things going on in their lives and I figured that I’d let them enjoy it. I hadn’t really had the chance for any of that myself. After recent events, however, depending on how things played out, I might have to reconsider that stance.

 

Anything like that was not really something I wanted to think about just yet. I still had lots of things to come to terms with, and a relationship of any kind wasn’t very high on the list at the moment. Despite the reassurances and the recent experiences to the contrary, I still felt a little leery and scared around Steve. I think either he or Bucky – or maybe both of them – sensed it, too, in a way, because he was very hands off, letting Bucky show me around the house, help me get acquainted with things, relaying messages … granted I hadn’t even been in their home for twenty four hours yet, but I could already see a pattern emerging. And I couldn’t say I minded, truth be told. There was a lot of shit to come to terms with, and even though I’d been shoved into this world with no warning, I appreciated the breathing room that they allowed me.

 

They both returned in the early afternoon, the alarm system beeping with the opening of the door until one of them turned it off. For two large guys, they were surprisingly light on their feet, and I didn’t even hear footsteps until there was a knock on the door. I was glad I hadn’t put in my earbuds after lunch, as I could only imagine the jump scare that would have come with that knock if I hadn’t heard the front door open and the alarm system beep and then disarm. “Come in,” I called out

 

Yet again, it was Bucky, and he tossed me a small smile as he asked, “How you doing?”

 

“Good,” I replied. “Doesn’t look like I’ll be pressed for overtime today.”

 

“Good,” he repeated, “because we were able to get a hold of our friend, and he wants to meet with us, and you. Today.”

 

“Today? When?”

 

“As soon as possible.”

 

Well, that was quick. Nodding and taking a breath, I replied timidly, hoping he wouldn’t insist on leaving immediately, “I have a couple of hours left of work, if it’s alright, we can go after I’m done.”

 

To my relief, he nodded. “Sure, doll, sounds good to me.”

 

And that, it seemed, was that, as he closed the door and left me to work. I struggled through the next couple of hours, my anxiety warring with my curiousity as to how this afternoon was going to play out. My mind immediately wanted to come up with catastrophic scenarios, but unlike before, I had a seed of optimism that everything would be fine. Well, there was really only one way to find out, and as I finally logged off for the day, I rose from the desk and took a deep breath to try to calm the nerves that wanted to flare in the wake of the unknown. I had to try to trust both of them, that they wouldn’t lead me anywhere that would put me in danger or harm me in any way. They hadn’t so far, so that was at least encouraging. And if they continued to do so, then … well, I’d figure it out when I got there.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in updating, Stephen was being difficult about working with me for a hot minute and then I had different stuff going on, but I wanted to try to get this out before July's Camp NaNo, so here we go!

My jaw dropped as I stepped out of the car, the massive fucking _building_ looming over the entire street. “ _This_ is where your friend stays?”

 

“The Sanctum Sanctorum,” Steve confirmed. “He doesn’t let just anybody in, either.”

 

“Yeah, I was kinda surprised he wanted us to come to him, but,” Bucky shrugged as he commented. “Oh, by the way, don’t touch anything. Never know what weird artefacts he might have lying around.”

 

“Hands to myself, got it,” I confirmed, shoving my fists into my jacket pockets as I followed the Alpha and Beta up to the front door. Not that I would have tried messing with anything anyway, but the reminder was appreciated. Magic had a bit of a … darker … reputation where I was from, something that was covered up and hidden, wars fought in secret that rarely spilled over into the light of day. Here, though, like most things it seemed different in how it was perceived. But just because the perception was different didn’t mean I didn’t enter that house without any trepidation. If anything, I felt a bit unnerved as I walked in, following along behind Steve and Bucky, as if I could shrink out of sight if I kept behind the larger Alpha and Beta.

 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect out of someone named Stephen Strange, but what I saw seemed _strangely_ appropriate. He was a lot less John Constantine, a lot more Giovanni Zatara, if the flowing cape and impeccable facial hair was anything to go off of. As he descended the stairs, I got the impression that he was used to being in charge, if his commanding presence was anything to go off of. Everything about him seemed to scream Alpha, and so it came as a great surprise, when he drew near, that I got a distinct whiff of Omega coming off of him. As I quickly racked my brain, I realised that he was the first Omega I had met since I’d appeared in this strange world. Alphas and Betas especially seemed to populate it – or at least the area I was in – but I hadn’t really thought about the amount of Omegas that I had, or rather _hadn’t_ , seen until my neighbour had mentioned it. Since then, after that whole situation had calmed down, I had actually given it some thought and I’d then realised that while the general public was awash in strong, undiluted smells, that I’d only ever smelled Alphas and Betas. Frank was right, then, Omegas were much more rare here. And this Doctor Strange, it seemed, was one. Not only one, but apparently a revered sorcerer as well. This really only served to cement that perhaps … perhaps this world might be far better to live in than the one I’d unknowingly left behind.

 

The Sorcerer Supreme – as he’d been referred to as – nodded toward my companions and acknowledged them in turn. “Steven. James.” His eyes then landed on me and I swore I might have seen the hint of a smile as he intoned, “And you must be Michelle.”

 

Just the power of his gaze alone stunned me into silence, and so I simply nodded, my tongue paralysed. Forget Omega sensibilities, this man radiated power and strength, even more so than Steve, and I unconsciously took a small step backward.

 

His smile broadened just a little. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he preempted. “In fact, this will be quite painless for you.” Motioning, he continued, “If you will follow me, please? I wish to do this in a quieter space.”

 

Swallowing hard, I worked up the courage to ask, “Will … will they come with us?”

 

Doctor Strange nodded. “If they wish.”

 

Bucky gently laid a hand against my back. “Do you want us to?”

 

I nodded, my response quieter. “Please.” It seemed strange that I was actually asking them to come with me, to be around me, but at the moment they were the only halfway familiar things available, so I clung to what I could. It felt better to have them with me, at my side, than to walk into this completely unfamiliar scenario all alone. I wasn’t sure if it was because of his magical abilities or not, but with the aura it felt that Stephen Strange was giving off, it was wholly unlike any Omega I’d ever known. Were Omegas like that in this world? Or was this just him? I couldn’t even begin to untangle the difference, if there was one.

 

I was expecting to be lead to some sacred inner sanctum that was dark, only lit by candles, with strange runes decorating the walls and maybe some mysteries artefacts scattered throughout. Instead, the room he lead us to was adjacent to some balcony, with a window that stretched from ceiling to floor and from one end of the room to the other. As if that wasn’t enough, mirrors on the others walls reflected the sunlight that filtered in, negating any actual need for a light, though there were a few candles lit – I figured more for ceremonial purposes than anything else – and in the middle of the room was a low table and cushions to sit on, with a full tea set out and ready for company. Stephen motioned for us all to sit and so Steve, Bucky, and I took up spots on one side – myself in between the two – and Stephen sat across from us. “Tea?” he asked, and we all nodded.

 

What he brewed, it was light and fragrant, and as he started to hand out the filled cups, I couldn’t help but ask, “Is this some special wizard blend?”

 

He fixed me with an amused stare as he held out my cup. “It’s just tea.”

 

Well, I more or less had to take him at his word, though as I sipped it, I still couldn’t pinpoint exactly what kind of tea it was. Not like I was some connoisseur or anything – I preferred coffee in the morning – but I did keep a stash of Earl Grey for when I was in the mood for something a little more soothing and some lemon honey herbal tea for when I had a cold. Anything other than the basics was out of my element, but whatever he’d brewed up was delicious and light. It seemed mainly herbal but there was some faint fruit undertone that I couldn’t readily identify.

 

Once he’d served everyone and poured a cup for himself, he paused to take a drink himself before he explained what he was wanting to do. “I know you’re nervous, but my abilities will put a strain on myself and only myself, that I promise you.” Setting his cup on the table for a moment, he continued, “I have a few theories, based on what information has been relayed to me, and I think the best course of action is to put you into a meditative state and use that to explore your spirit, see if I can suss out its source.”

 

“And by source you mean, where I’m from?”

 

“Precisely. Your spirit, when laid bare, can reveal a good many things. Where you’re from, where you’ve been, even potential paths of where you’re going. It is painless, effortless for you, and will be helpful in ascertaining both what happened to you when you came here and what might happen to you in the future.”

 

“Like, if this will be permanent or not?” He nodded, taking another sip from his cup, and the next question just shot out of me with little chance for filter. “If this isn’t permanent, could you make it permanent?”

 

That got a raised eyebrow out of him, and he slowly set down his cup before he carefully replied. “That would depend on a myriad of factors, none of which I will know until we do this. May I ask why you would want to ensure you stay here? Instead of returning home, to somewhere familiar?”

 

I shrugged and tried to play it off more casual, but I wasn’t that much of an actress. Just enough to lie through my teeth over the phone and occasionally face to face that _no, no, I’m not an Omega, I’m a Beta_. �“Just seems a bit better here.”

 

Folding his arms in front of him, he fixed me with a stare, not quite accepting that as an answer. “Unfortunately, I cannot just _keep_ you here if you truly belong somewhere else. Upsetting the balance of the universes isn’t something done simply on a whim.” Okay, now that was slightly terrifying. So, this guy could just send me back to my own world if he deemed that this whole thing was a mistake? The panic must have clearly shown on my face as he asked, “Why wouldn’t you want to return?”

 

I nervously twisted my fingers in front of me, trying to work up the nerve to say what I needed to as my eyes roamed the wood grain of the table, trying to find a point to focus on. “I’m … not sure what they’ve told you about my world, but … Omegas are treated like little more than property. Unless our Alpha so _graciously_ allows us, we’re not allowed to drive, to hold jobs, hell, we don’t even get a say in our own reproductive rights. If I was back there, and I was ratted out, I’d lose my job, my car, my apartment, and the IUD I have implanted would be removed immediately. The only reason I have any of that is because I’ve been taking and using scent-blocking products and I’ve just … lied that I was a Beta. To be an Omega is … to be a second-class citizen.” I finally scrounged up the necessary nerve to look him in the eye as I concluded, “I don’t know that much about this world, but from what Steve and Bucky have told me, and from what I’ve been able to see, we’re not treated that way here.”

 

He was silent for a moment, and as he took a chance to finish off his tea, I wondered if my plea worked, if it spoke to him, or if he wouldn’t change his answer at all. As he set his empty cup back on the table, he finally replied, “I still cannot guarantee what I can do, as it depends on what I find.” My face started to fall, but he quickly added, “If your wish is to stay here, however, I will see what I can do to honour that.”

 

That seemed about as good as I could get, and I nodded in acquiescence. Secretly, I hoped that whatever he found, it wasn’t something that meant I had to go back. Familiarity be damned, just because my old world was familiar didn’t mean it was good. It wasn’t. I knew this. And as strange as some things were in this world, I felt more comfortable with the prospect that Omegas were treated better. Not that I thought things would be puppies and rainbows, necessarily, in the grass is greener kind of mindset. But surely just being viewed as a fucking human being and not being discriminated against because of my Omega status had to be a better deal. Of course, here, I was still bonded to an Alpha and Beta pair, two people I still didn’t know all that well. Despite that, I still wanted to give this world a go. _Heh, just how bad is it that when given the option, I’d rather stay with a bonded Alpha and Beta_ _that I don’t really know_ _rather than go back home? Probably pretty bad._ I gulped down the last swallow of tea and told him, “Whenever you’re ready, then, I guess we can do this.”

 

Stephen smiled gently and held out his hand. “I can do it now, then. All I need is your hands.”

 

I stared at his hand for a moment, my own shaking slightly. This felt a bit momentous, and I had no idea what to expect, what would happen, how it would feel. He’d assured me that it wouldn’t hurt, but he hadn’t said that I would nothing, and there was a whole spectrum of sensations that ground could cover. And even if I felt nothing, I still had no idea what would come of this, and the potential outcomes scared me. Whether I was truly ready or not, however, there was no putting this off, and so I took a deep breath and reached out and put my hands – and my life – in the sorcerer’s hand.


End file.
